It Always Finds It's Way, Somehow
by NotAnAlchemist
Summary: Jamie shows Nick what true fear is, and that no matter what you are, you're always, somehow, able to love. Nick x Jamie


Hello! -waves- My first fanfic in a loooong time. There's a pairing, Nick x Jamie, because I think they're adorable together. Aka, SLASH! Takes place when Alan, Nick, Jamie, Mae and Olivia all live together.

**Disclaimer: **This applies to the whole fic, not just this chapter. I do not own. I am not making any money off of this, sadly.

It wasn't as if Jamie didn't know what was going on between the brothers and his sister. He wasn't stupid, even though he may be a little, well, you know. He knew that Alan liked Mae, that he had liked her from the beginning. And that was okay. Alan was a nice guy; kind, smart, nice-looking, and better yet, fighting to help get that damned second-tier mark off of Jamie. He approved of Alan, he respected Alan, he liked Alan. Jamie didn't know if Mae returned his feelings, but if she did, that was fine by him.

Then, there was Nick. Mae defiantly liked him, that much was sure. She liked to look at him, she liked how much he hated her, she liked how he was everything a "bad-boy" could be. She was always one for excitement, always. Again, Jamie was just fine with that, he liked to let his sister have some fun. She worries too much, anyway.

See, Jamie was only okay with his sister liking Nick. Not _pursuing _him.

"I'm sorry, could you repeat that? I think my ears just told me you said something very bad," Jamie said as he slouched against the hard, wooden chair. It was now two o'clock in the morning and the Crawford siblings were sitting at the kitchen table. Neither of them had been able to sleep, and Mae had just started an _interesting _conversation.

Mae cupped her coffee. "I'm going to chase after Nick. You know, seduce him, get him to marry me, have many of his chidren," she told her brother calmly, surely, even through the sarcasm.

He gulped a little. "You shouldn't," he said.

"I know, but I've been thinking about this. I like him. I want him," she admitted quickly.

Jamie wasn't liking this at all. Nick was always so rash, so cruel, so... _angry_. Some anger was perfectly understandable due the the lives the brothers live, but Alan was perfectly normal, um, personality wise. Nick wasn't.

Nick... one thinks there is much to say about him, but, no, there actually isn't. And that's another thing that wasn't okay about him. Jamie knew, maybe, that Nick wouldn't be someone Mae would be happy with. Satisfied, yes, and maybe even a little happy at first, but in the long-run, she'd be miserable.

"Don't," he said, suddenly, before he knew what was coming out of his mouth. Jamie had never outright denied his sister before and it was surprising to both of them.

"What? Don't? Why not?" Jamie opened and closed his mouth repeatedly for a few seconds, not being able to explain himself.

"You think he's too dangerous for me? You think he's too wild for me?" she asked after a minute of Jamie pretending to be a fish.

"I-no-yes. I do," he said, quietly. "We don't know much about him, Mae." She stood up quickly and looked down her nose at him. She wasn't angry, but Jamie could tell that she was mildly disappointed. Didn't her own brother trust her?

"I didn't tell you to ask for permission. You are my _little_ brother after all."

He sat up straighter. "He's involved with murderous magicians every day of his life. He carries around a knife 'just in case'. He's not a guy I want you to get involved with!"

"He's a guy I want to get involved with, though," she said, just as calmly as she had been. Jamie hated when she did that, when she acted ten years older than him when she was only actually one. It was infuriating.

"Bu-but what if he tries to kill you?" he asked tentatively, trying not to release his anger, as now was not the time.

"Why would he?"

"I don't know! There could be some blood ritual he has to do to save his mother or brother or something that he has to sacrifice a mate for! I'm not exactly sure how this whole magic thing works!"

Mae was now getting frustrated. "Don't you think that I'm strong-willed enough to leave him if he tries to kill me?" she asked dangerously.

"Strong-willed, yeah, but physically? I'm not so sure! Nick is... big..."

"Tell me something I don't know..." she murmured. Jamie chose to ignore what that implied.

"I don't want you to date him," Jamie concluded.

"But I want to date him," Mae countered. They looked at each other for a while. The argument had been quick. Hell, Jamie wasn't even sure if it was an argument; more like a disagreement. His sister's eyes softened after they had both gotten used to the silence.

"I'm going back to bed now," she said, because when she says it's over, it is, and they've both come to realize it. "Sweet dreams." She kissed him lightly on the top of his head and slowly tip-toed back up the stairs. That was like her. Trying to butter Jamie up like the whole thing hadn't happened.

Jamie stared at his - now cold - hot chocolate. Questions stirred in his head. Why was his sister doing this? Didn't she know it was dangerous? Why was she acting so impulsively?

But most of all: Why did it bother him so much?

He wasn't sure about any of them.

"It's like he has her under his spell..." he whispered. He remembered the same thing happening to girls at their school in Exeter, those poor girls, only put up so they can fall.

"I wouldn't call it a spell, more like a jinx." Jamie jumped at the unexpected voice, but relaxed when he recognized it. Well, speak of the devil...

"It was right of you to tell your sister not to chase me. I make the good girls to horribly, horribly wrong," Nick said as he pulled out a kitchen chair.

Jamie laughed nervously. "Oh, you heard that? Well, I figured it was my brotherly duty to warn her about the creatures of the night," he said playfully.

"Creature of the night, huh? Haven't heard that one in a while. Just wait until I tell Alan; he'll have a laugh," Nick said, smirking.

Jamie just smiled a bit and went back to looking into his cold hot chocolate.

"Why did you tell her that, though? I'm perfectly capable of taking care of her. And there are no blood rituals needed for saving Alan as far as i know," Nick asked.

Jamie again did not know how to describe his point.

"I could check for some, though," Nick added with another smirk.

"No thank you! Not necessary!" Jamie said hurriedly. "I just don't think it would be a good idea. Your... lifestyle... is hazardous."

Nick considered this for a moment. "Yes it is, but... that can't be the only reason, is it?"

"Why? I think it's a perfectly good one!"

"Your sister seem to like hazardous things."

"She does!"

"Then why can't our love be?" Nick swooned. His sarcasm was starting to get to Jamie.

"I don't know! There's just something about you and I don't think it would be right for Mae!"

Nick was quiet for a moment. He looked down at the chipping wood of the kitchen table. "I know what it is," he drawled.

The smaller boy 'hurumph'd. "What is it, then?" he questioned.

"You like me!" Nick accused happily.

"I-wha-no! I don't! Where would you get a ridiculous idea like that?" Jamie felt his whole face heat up.

"I don't know," Nick drawled again. He stood up and walked behind Jamie's chair, leaning in close, close, close enough for Jamie to feel breath tickling his ears.

"Maybe its because of the way your breath hitches when I stand too close," Nick whispered. Jamie swallowed the breath he was about to let out. "Maybe it's because of how you keep trying to talk to me, trying to know the inner works of Nick Ryves, sexy sword-welder." Jamie bit his lip. Why was "Maybe it's because of the way your body tenses when I accidentally touch you, even slightly." Nick ran his right hand through Jamie's blond locks. And Jamie did tense.

"You know what actually sold you away?" the taller boy asked non-nonchalantly.

"What?" Jamie rasped. Oh no, was he under the spell too? Oh, Jesus...

"The fact that you can't get your eyes off of me when we're together" Nick removed his hand after letting it linger for a moment longer. "I'm going back to bed," he finalized happily, dismissively. "Rest easy, Jamie."

As soon as Nick left, Jamie's head collapsed into his arms.

"I do _not _like Nick," He told himself. And at the time, despite everything, he thought it was true.


End file.
